A Cold Cell
by Cpt. Ritter
Summary: A tag for Irresistible.


_A/N: Here's a tag for Irresistible. I'm not sure if Teyla was present on the balcony when Sheppard took off with Lucius in the end, but I'm taking a bit of creative liberty._

Lucius swaggered out leaving John alone in the cold cell. Well, it wasn't cold per say, but being in here, while they remaining members of his team were losing their minds, while Teyla was losing her mind, was enough to make it feel cold.

He'd gotten through to Carson, or at least he hoped he had. It seemed sane thought was inversely proportional to Lucius' presence. The longer you spent time with him, the less sane you became. The longer you were away, the more rational thought came back.

Apparently Ronon hadn't been away long enough when he shot him. John cringed, still remembering the feeling or betrayal. He should have acted sooner. He knew that now. He'd kept holding onto the fact that his friends were stronger than that.

He wasn't sure who'd lost it first. Elizabeth was practically acting like Lucius' pet, catering to his every whim and desire. Teyla, Carson, and Beckett had all gone racing to a wraith invested planet to gather some herb that would allow Lucius to keep making the stuff.

For a second, John wished they'd never figured out how these cells worked. That way he wouldn't be stuck in here, but it would've probably been worse because they wouldn't have had a cell to put the wraith in.

The door opened, and in stepped Teyla, her P90 held in a ready position. The cell filtered out smells from the outside, but he could've sworn Teyla was wearing a lot more makeup than normal. He still wasn't certain which member of the expedition had shown her it in the first place, probably Elizabeth.

"Shouldn't you be catering to Lucius' every whim and need." John said bitterly.

"We do not cater to Lucius' every whim and need." Teyla replied. "He is a very kind and generous soul. I believe you will come to see that in time."

"Fat chance of that." John replied. "This cold is gonna keep me sick for at least another few days, and chances are the wraith are going to come before then, thanks to your little stunt."

"The herb is very important to us." Teyla countered.

"To you, or Lucius?" John retorted. "Because from what I've seen, all that matters is Lucius."

"That is not true Colonel." Teyla's voice was becoming irritated, something John was hoping for.

"You sharing his bed too?" John snapped.

For a second, John though he saw a trace of the Teyla he knew flicker inside Teyla's deluded mind. It vanished too quickly, replaced with flattered expression that John knew Teyla would never associate with such a topic. "In time, I hope I can." She said with a sigh.

John slammed his fists against the forcefield. The shield sizzled and his knuckles burned. John needed the pain though. "Damn it Teyla, this isn't you!"

"I resent that statement." Teyla replied.

"Really?" The sarcasm dripped in his voice. "The statement you should be resenting is wanting to share Lucius' bed." John was way passed pissed, hoping the effect was passing to Teyla. He was hoping enough negative emotions could bring the real Teyla back, even if for only a minute.

"I want to be his wife." Teyla countered hotly.

It took everything in John's power not to puke. The thought of Teyla taking part in Lucius' disgusting late night parties made his stomach churn. He wasn't certain if it was just Teyla or the shear wrongness of what Lucius was talking about. "Don't even try Teyla. That's not you and you know it."

"I am exactly who I have always been." The fury was beginning to show.

"If it was that easy to have you, I could've bedded you that night we met in the Athosian village." John replied, hoping he'd struck a sensitive spot.

"I would never have allowed it. It goes against who I am."

"Really." John stared her right in the eyes. "Then why would you do it for Lucius?"

Teyla seemed stunned, unable to reply, her face going remarkably blank for a second.

"You don't want to be his seventh wife, and I know it." He held Teyla's gaze, watching as her grip on her P90 slackened.

Teyla blinked once, then twice. "John?" She asked, breaking into a dry sweat.

"Open the cell Teyla." John said evenly.

Teyla reached out and opened the cell. The door slid open, Teyla kept shaking. "Lucius will not..." Teyla's P90 dropped to the ground. She clenched her fists.

John picked up Teyla's P90, checking the safety. He glanced at her, still shaking and sweating, her breathing irregular. She had a hand held wraith stunner in her pistol holster. John knew what he had to do. "I'm sorry Teyla."

He grabbed her, using a handful of the moves she'd taught him herself. He retrieved the stunner with his spare hand and shot her, catching her as she went limp. He carefully set her down inside the cell, taking her flak vest from her.

After loosening the straps he put it on, clipping the P90 to it. He took her pistol holster and again loosened it and strapped it to his leg. He placed held the stunner at hand. Chances were he'd have to shoot his way out.

The door opened to the cell area and John pressed his back against the wall. Carson stepped in. John grabbed him and pressed him against the wall. "Don't say anything Carson."

"What are you bloody doing?" Carson replied. "I come all this way to spring you and you've already gotten out!"

"What?" John asked, shocked, the realization dawned. "You managed to counteract Lucius' chemical?"

"Aye, was able to have enough time to work on it because Lucius' wants to take a jumper out. I was going to come get you."

"You didn't give him the ATA gene did you?"

"No, of course not! I gave him the drug that neutralizes the chemical."

"Carson, you're brilliant!"

"Could yah let me down now?" Carson asked.

John immediately dropped him. "Sorry, where to?"

"Everyone's up in the control room waiting for Lucius to take off. If we hurry we can get him away from everyone. Long enough for me to inoculate everyone else." Carson's eyes widened. "What'd you do to Teyla?"

"Shot her with the stunner." John replied. "I somehow got her mad enough to break through the Lucius fog."

"I'll have to do more research on that." Carson said. "She'll be alright, we've gotta hurry though."

XXX

John glanced at Carson nervously. Teyla was laying on the floor of the cell, tears running unabated down her cheeks. "So all I have to do is hold her still?" He asked.

"Aye, I'll do the rest." Carson replied.

John walked through the open cell door. The fight had gone out of Teyla a long time ago. He felt guilty for leaving her like that. Deprived of Lucius when she was addicted to the very chemical he utilized had been harsh. He stepped tentatively forward. "Teyla?"

She buried her head in her hands. "Leave me alone." She said.

John looked at floor, then back at her. "Teyla... I'm sorry."

"Lucius needs me." She replied.

"If you really believed that there wouldn't be a thing in the world that would have stopped you?" John replied evenly, moving to kneel down close to her. "I know it, but you don't believe that. Not in your heart."

Teyla looked at him, her eyes swollen from the tears. "I want to, but I don't."

John sat down, scooping Teyla into his arms. "Exactly, you don't." John could feel Carson approaching from behind. "Why do you want to believe in something you don't?"

Teyla's eyes cleared for a second. "John?"

He stared right at her. "Hold on Teyla. Don't let go."

"Do not leave me..." Teyla croaked.

"I won't, not this time." He replied, just as Carson gently inserted the needle into Teyla's arm. He pressed the plunger and emptied its contents.

Teyla didn't move, but the first of her tears started to dry up. Her expression slowly became less pained and confused.

John didn't know how long he sat there, gentle massaging Teyla's back, waiting for the full effect of the antidote to take hold. It didn't matter, he'd wait as long as he had to.

XXX

John blocked Teyla's attack, ducking to avoid her second, and rolling to get out of the way. He jumped back up and met her halfway, his sticks clashing with hers.

"You have been practicing Colonel." Teyla stated.

"Yeah... enough to improve." John replied, circling her. He was expecting her to attack at any time.

He was about halfway around when she finally attack, her left stick going low towards his shin. John jumped, just high enough to avoid it and met her right stick with both of his, knocking it aside. He lowered his sticks, motioning for her to get it and that he wouldn't attack.

"Very good Colonel." Teyla said, bending down to pick it up.

"It was mostly luck." John replied. "If I hadn't gotten luck with that jump I would've been on my butt."

"You are being modest Colonel. Truly, you have been improving. I have been practicing since I was a young girl. You have only been practicing for few years and already you are very skilled."

"Thanks Teyla." John said. "You sure you're all right?"

"The lingering effects of Lucius' presence have dissipated." Teyla turned to smile at him. She sat on the windowsill.

John moved to sit on the opposite side. "Sorry I had to shoot you. I wasn't sure how long you were going to be yourself."

"Give it no further thought." Teyla glanced out the window.

"I should have seen something was wrong though." John frowned, twirling his left stick in his hand.

"None of us could have predicted that Lucius would have such an effect on us." Teyla replied. It was an attempt to reassure him.

"All the people who were obsessed with him should have been a dead giveaway." John shook his head. "I was too busy checking out the women to pay attention to that."

"Perhaps it would be best if we both simply admitted that we made mistakes. That way we can move on." Teyla suggested.

John smiled. "Yeah. Want to grab lunch?"

"I would be delighted."


End file.
